Well I went back out to the place where I set up the two missions in the original post and, after tweaking and checking (double/triple) checking the two missions and mission settings, I tried again. The same thing happened in both missions. This is so odd to me and it's never happened anywhere else but at this location.
Mission 1, verified all Litchi settings (max speed, cruising speed, waypoint speeds, etc.). I ran the mission and WP1 was set for cruising to WP2 (about 300' away) but it floundered, moved very slowly, almost like it would be in atti mode with no wind or something. After about a minute I aborted this mission by turning on sport mode and flew the rest or the track manually, not the best flying
but I could fly as fast as 33.6 or as slow as I wanted to and had full control. So that's mission 1.
Mission 2, verified all Litchi settings (max, cruising speed, waypoint speeds, etc.). Run the mission. WP1-5 are a slow orbit around the camp house, should take maybe 1 or two minutes at most before hitting the waypoint 6 which is cruising speed 2.15 however the first 1-5 waypoints are extremely slow and "sluggish", with the drone in some cases almost at a stop and slowly drifting but then going back on track to the next waypoint, very, slowly (1-4 mph) when the waypoints were each set to 10-12 mph. This time I didn't abort the mission and had 90% battery power so I waited it out with an unexpected outcome. When it got to around WP 5, moving to WP6, it started to act "normal", meaning by the time it hit WP6, the mission flew pretty much like I expected it to.
The winds were 5-10, I'm sure the winds higher weren't anything unusually high I never received any wind warnings (or any other warnings for that matter). When my drone was up at the prescribed height I didn't see it moving around like I'd seen on a windy day nor did I hear the props fighting any wind so this time I feel sure wind wasn't an issue.
I'm drawing at straws here but the rural area I was in is wide open area, very few houses anywhere but there are several very small airports overlapping where I take off from (I guess crop dusters, etc.). Could that have anything to do with it? I don't think so but I'm very confused about this location. Maybe I need to call Scully and Mulder.